BIG relief for middleclass, onions to become cheaper as govt commences…., new rates are…

According to official data, the all-India average retail price of onions was Rs 28 per kg on Thursday, while in some cities the rates were above Rs 30 per kg.

Good news for middleclass! With the festive season approaching, the government has stepped in to make onions more affordable for consumers. To ease the prices, onions will be available at a subsidized rate of Rs 24 per kilogram in Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad. Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, launched the retail sale of onions at Rs. 24 per kg by flagging off mobile vans of NCCF, NAFED, and Kendriya Bhandar deployed for the sale in New Delhi on Thursday.

“We expect daily sales of about 10 tonnes. The intervention is linked to the government’s effort to keep retail inflation in check. The scheme was introduced last year when onion prices had surged to Rs 100 per kg, prompting the government to sell them at Rs 35 per kg,” an NCCF official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The vans will cover all of Mumbai from next week and sell onions on working days, the official said, adding the areas the vehicles cover will be updated on NCCF’s website routinely.

What is the new price of onions under the subsidy scheme?

Joshi said the subsidised sales would take place in areas where retail prices are ruling above Rs 30 per kg. According to official data, the all-India average retail price of onions was Rs 28 per kg on Thursday, while in some cities the rates were above Rs 30 per kg.

How much onion buffer stock does the government currently have?

Currently, the government has a buffer stock of 3 lakh tonnes of onions, procured at an average price of Rs 15 per kg during 2024-25 under the Price Stabilisation Fund scheme. The general retail inflation for July stood at 1.55 per cent, the lowest in nearly eight years. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said domestic onion production in 2024-25 is estimated at 30.77 million tonnes, about 27 per cent higher than the previous year, which has kept prices from rising sharply.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

1. The government has a buffer stock of 3 lakh tonnes of onions,
2. According to official data, the all-India average retail price of onions was Rs 28 per kg on Thursday.
3. Pralhad Joshi launched the retail sale of onions at Rs. 24 per kg by flagging off mobile vans.
4. The vans will cover all of Mumbai from next week and sell onions on working days.

She said selling onions at this stage before the festival season would help recover procurement costs and ensure availability at affordable rates for consumers. Onions grown during the rabi season in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh form the bulk of the buffer stock.

(With agencies Inputs)